When they entered the deep forest after two days of travel, they found themselves in a world entirely different. The place was dark even in daylight, with massive twisted trunks and the distant echoes of predators. This forest was home to mysterious creatures—some shy, others savage.
One night, while camping, a wolf with glowing red eyes appeared, watching them silently from between the trees. It did not move. Edric gripped his knife, ready to fight, but Karl placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered:
"Not everything that watches you is an enemy."
Instead of attacking, Karl placed a piece of food quietly before the wolf. It observed them for a moment, then approached, took the morsel, and vanished into the darkness. That night, Karl learned another lesson:
🔹 Strength is not always in battle… sometimes, wisdom is your greatest weapon.
Children of Winter – The Mysterious Village
After days of continuous travel, accompanied only by the clatter of wheels on rough roads and the cold northern winds, Karl and Edric finally reached a village that was not on any map they had seen before. It was small, surrounded by dense trees as if trying to isolate it from the outside world. What made it stranger was its silence.
There was no market noise, no children running in the streets. Everything was still, the houses old and worn, as if abandoned for decades.
When the carriage stopped in the small square, the boys and their driver stepped down to catch their breath. Immediately, they noticed the villagers' stares. Pale faces, eyes filled with suspicion, watching them silently from doorways, as though they had not seen strangers in years.
"This is… unsettling," Edric muttered, crossing his arms, his blue eyes scanning the place cautiously.
Before they could speak further, an old woman emerged from the shadows, leaning on a twisted wooden staff. Her face was lined with deep wrinkles, her gray eyes carrying memories of centuries. She stopped before them, lifted her head, and whispered in a faint voice:
"You… children of winter?"
Karl felt a shiver run through him, his breath freezing for a moment. There was something in her tone, as if she knew them, as if she had seen them before in a distant dream or an ancient prophecy.
But how? And why did she look at him with such depth, as though she saw something within him that he himself had yet to discover?
This village carried a secret, and whether they wished it or not, they had now become part of it.
Children of Winter – Living in the Mysterious Village
Karl and Edric had no choice but to stay in the village for a while. Their carriage needed repairs after the long journey, and they had to secure supplies and feed their weary horses. Yet living in this strange place was not easy—the villagers continued to watch them with silent eyes, as though they were unwelcome intruders.
After several attempts to find a blacksmith, they were directed to a man named Goran, an old smith living in a small workshop at the edge of the village. He was a large man, his hands marked by years of labor, but he spoke little. He glanced at the carriage and said in a rough voice:
"It will take at least two days… if you wish to stay, pay or work."
They had little money, so Karl and Edric offered their help in exchange for the repairs. Edric learned quickly, while Karl struggled with the heavy tools, though he never complained.
While Edric worked with Goran, Karl wandered the streets in search of supplies. He noticed the villagers rarely spoke to one another, as if fear had taken root in their hearts. Entering a small bakery in the square, he met a woman called Old Elena, who seemed kinder than the rest.
As she handed him bread and cheese, she looked at him and whispered:
"What brings you here, boy? Children of winter do not pass through this land…"
Karl froze, the same strange chill running through him as when the first old woman spoke. What did these words mean? And what was winter's connection to all of this?
Children of Winter – The Curse of the Mysterious Village
As night fell, thick fog covered the village streets, making the pale torchlight sway like shadows in a restless sea. After a long day of hard work, Karl and Edric lay in the small stable beside the carriage, exhausted yet relieved that their departure was near.
But that night was not ordinary…
Betrayal
At midnight, Karl awoke to a faint sound—footsteps moving cautiously in the dark. Before he could rise, a shadow leapt upon him, a rough hand clamping his mouth. He struggled, but the grip was strong. Turning his head, he saw Edric in the same plight, fighting desperately but in vain.
There was no escape.
When the darkness lifted, they found themselves tied to wooden posts in the village square. The villagers had gathered in a wide circle, their pale faces now bearing a different expression—a mix of fear and blind faith.
The old woman stepped forward, her gray eyes gleaming with strange fervor. Her trembling voice carried conviction:
"You have been sent to us… Children of Winter… the blood that will free us from the curse."
Karl could not understand, but Edric shouted angrily:
"You're insane!"
No one listened.
The Cursed Ritual
In the center of the square stood an ancient stone, carved with strange symbols, as if time itself had forgotten it. A veiled woman brought forth a black curved blade, chanting in a language they had never heard. The villagers joined her, their low voices echoing in a chilling rhythm.
It was an old, bloody ritual.
Escape and Fire
But if they thought Karl and Edric would submit, they were mistaken.
With skill born from years in the orphanage, Edric managed to loosen his bonds by rubbing the rope against the wood. In a swift move, he struck the nearest man, seized his knife, and freed Karl. There was no time to think—only to survive.
Karl grabbed a burning torch from one of the posts and raised it threateningly:
"Our end will not be here… yours will!"
Without hesitation, he hurled the torch onto the dry wooden huts. Flames spread instantly, devouring the village.
Screams filled the air, the ritual collapsing into chaos. Villagers scattered—some fleeing, others trying to fight the fire—but the blaze was faster than them all.
The boys seized the chance, leaping onto the carriage and whipping the horses into motion. The driver, startled from sleep, clung to the reins as the village behind them turned into a blazing inferno.
A Lesson Etched in Memory
From a distant hill, Karl and Edric watched the flames consume everything. The village's dark secret was erased forever.
Edric's blue eyes carried a new spark—not only anger, but sorrow for the victims who had come before. Karl remained silent for a moment, then whispered:
"If we are to be knights, we must know when to wield the sword… and when to light the fire."
With the burning village behind them, the Children of Winter continued their journey, no longer mere boys but warriors who had learned their first lesson in survival—and vengeance.